Governor Dikko Radda has alleged that informants within government circles, security agencies and local communities are frustrating efforts to tackle banditry in Katsina State.
Mr Radda said the informants leak sensitive information to bandits, helping them evade arrest and launch attacks on communities and security operatives.
The governor made the allegation during an interview on Thursday.
According to him, the fight against insecurity is being undermined by individuals who secretly supply intelligence to criminal groups.
He cited the example of a notorious bandit identified simply as Mohammed, claiming that informants within communities and official circles regularly alert him about security operations.
“This notorious person disturbing us — we know him. He is Mohammed; that is his name. Everybody knows him. His father, mother and grandfather were born there. But the problem we have is the community. The communities are not giving the right information. In a way, some of them are helping him,” he said.
“It is not hidden because he gets information. The day I called for a high-level security meeting at the Government House on how to deal with the situation, five minutes after the meeting, he already knew what we discussed.
“There are moles giving him information among us. In fact, he has developed a new strategy where he incites villages to protest against the government so they can pressure the government not to pursue him,” the governor added.
Mr Radda further alleged that some informants within communities alert bandits whenever security operatives are mobilised for operations.
“Whenever there is information about an attack and security operatives move to the area, the moles within the community will call and inform him that security personnel are coming and which route they are taking, allowing them to lay ambushes for the operatives,” he said.